Detroit Today: Casino workers say they are striking for respect and fair wages
Thousands of union workers joined the picket line this week after failing to reach a new labor agreement with Detroit’s three casinos.
A line of striking workers picket outside of MotorCity Casino.
The labor movement in America is having a moment, with workers across multiple industries attempting to take advantage of a tight labor market and band together to get the contracts they believe they deserve.
Detroit casino workers are the latest to hit the picket line, after failing to reach a new labor agreement with MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood at Greektown by Tuesday’s deadline.
Mia Winston, president of UNITE HERE Local 24 and a former food cashier at MotorCity Casino, joined Detroit Today Thursday morning to discuss the strike, the workers’ demands, and how long they’re prepared to picket for.
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Guest:
Nia Winston is the president of UNITE HERE Local 24, the union of hospitality workers on strike at Motor City Casino. She says that casino workers on strike are asking for their fare share.
“These workers go to work every single day, every single day. And yet when they sit at the bargaining table or send the bargainers to the table on their behalf just to ask for the basic needs, the employers tell them ‘no’ and force us out on the street,” says Winston.
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